Elijah kempeb



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IMPROVBMEN T IN GATES.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, ELIJAII KEMPER, of Thornville, in the county of Perry, and State of Ohio, haveinvcnted a new and useful improved Latch for Sliding-Gates and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists of a long tilting latch to be attached to the top and front corner of the gate on a pivot or hinge, so that when the gate is pushed back to a balance in the operation of openingit'the latch may be tipped or tilted on its pivot or hinge to a vertical position out of the way, and so constructed that the latch will bear the weight of theouter end of the gate, rendering it unnecessary to lift it.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of agate with my improved latch attached, showing the latch in a vertical position. i

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same, showing the latch in a horizontal position supporting the end of the gate, which is nearly closed.

A A A are the horizontal bars of the gate, and B B the uprights. It runs or slides on a roller under the horizontal bar A, shown in dotted lines at C. In the under side of this bar Ais a depression, D, which offers a slight but suiiicient resistance to the running out of the gate when it is balanced on the roller G, except when it is desired to have it so run out. E is a pivoted post by which the gate is swung around out of the way Whenon a balance. F is a pin in the horizontal bar A" which prevents the gate from running in too far.

The object of my invention is to. give support to the end of the gate in the operation of opening and closing it, so that it shall not be necessary to lift it or carry t-hesaid end when it is fnearly closed; andalso to provide a ready means for fastening the gate shut. In order to accomplish this object Ifasten the said latch on a pivot or hinge at the upper and outer corner of the gate, the rod or bolt H, on which it is pivoted, being made to pass through thejaws G, bar A, and upright 13. The latch I is firmly secured between the jaws G, and turns partially around the bolt H as a pivot. At the inner end of the latch I another pair of jaws, J, is secured, which fit over the top rail or bar A of the gate when the latch I is in a horizontal position, as seen in fig. 2, and thus give greater rigidity and strength to the latch I in opening and shutting the gate. K is a. strip of board secured to the top of the latch to give it additional strength and keep out water. L is an indentation in the under side of the latch similar to D, and it is for the purpose of holding the gate shut against any accidentalforce which might otherwise open it. M is a roller, shown in dotted lines, on which the latch I runs in opening and shutting the gate thus the whole weight of the gate is borne on the two rollers C and M when the gate is moved in or out. I am thus enabled to open and close the gate very easily. N is a fastener similar to an eccentric or care, which is pressed down upon the latch I, preventing said latch from rising to clear the roller M from the indentation L when the gate is shut, thus fastening it securely. The fastener N swings on the bolt 0 as a centre.

My improved latch operates as follows: The gate being shut, and secured by the fastener N, to open it I first raise the fastener N by moving it to the left, and their slide the gate, as seen in the drawings, to the right, which is easily done, as the weight is borne by the rollers C and M until it is just balanced on the roller 0. In this position the roller C rests in the indentation D, which keeps the gate steady. The latch may be so hung that the moment it clears the roller M it will drop into the position shown in fig. 1; all that is necessary to have it do so is toma-ke the outer end heavier than the other. The gate being new in the position shown in fig. 1, it is swung around so as toleave the way open. To close it it is first swung back, the latch I lifted and placed in the roller M, the gate slid back, and the fastener N turned down so as to hear snugly against the latch.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim- The combination with a sliding-gate of the tilting latch .I, constructed and operating as hercinaborfe set forth.

ELIJAH KEMPER.

Witnesses:

Jason DnNwoon; Jenn 0am). 

